


Mister Stinky

by HerbertBest



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Discussion of Death, Established Relationship, Gen, Parent-Child Relationship, Parenthood, pet death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-05
Updated: 2016-09-05
Packaged: 2018-08-13 04:34:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7962631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HerbertBest/pseuds/HerbertBest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dan's daughter learns a lesson about mortality, and Dan realizes that parenthood - flaws and tomato juice dunkings aside - has its own rewards.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mister Stinky

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of my shared a/b/o grumpverse with [theseusinthemaze](http://archiveofourown.org/users/TheseusInTheMaze/pseuds/TheseusInTheMaze). The majority of the continuity is [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7724251/chapters/17604880), with my contributions being [this](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6371221/chapters/17710312), [this](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6371221/chapters/17921479), [this](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6371221/chapters/17921632), [this](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6371221/chapters/18031048), [this,](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7894192) [this](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6371221/chapters/17921305%22%22) and [this!](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6371221/chapters/18211246)

“Rhea, sweetie, you have to stand still.” He tucked his cell phone up under his chin and said, “no, no, it didn’t bite her – there’s no broken skin…what do you mean why am I calling you?” His voice rose another octave as he dumped another pan of tomato juice over Rhea’s head. Dan endured her howls with a groan, let go of the pan, sighed as he rubbed his temples. “Okay. She’s fine then. Yes, I’ve got their booster shot marked down. Thanks, doc.” He hung up and knelt beside Rhea. “You have to close your eyes for this part, sweetie.”

She pouted. “No. Not until you make sure Mister Stinky’s okay!”

Dan sighed. “Honey, Mister Stinky’s…not alive anymore.” It was blunt, true, and had been true even before his daughter had pulled it out of the woods.

Rhea pouted. “But you can fix anything. You’re a _wizard_. Just make him be alive again!”

Dan felt his heart crumble a little. So this was how innocence was lost. He remembered how he figured out that Avi wasn’t magical; drips and drabs of reality, a crushed fruit fly here, a shouting match there. He saw Rhea’s Suzy-green eyes and his own hair – fat red-brown curls that would one day be a frizzy, unmanageable mess. She was him all over again, mostly; awkward, taller than any other girl in her class, fascinated with fantasy and nature, but much more gregarious. She had believed him when he told her he was a Unicorn Wizard, that he could speak with Pinkie Pie and Dora the Explorer told him she needed to brush her teeth. His voice was sad. “I can’t do that.”

Suddenly, Dan had an armful of crying four-year-old. He ignored the mess to rock her in his grip. “I know, sweetie. It’s okay…” He saw the bathroom door crack open and Arin’s alarmed expression but gently shooed him away. Dan desperately combed his memory banks for words of comfort. He said, “he’s somewhere where he’s happy, With all the other skunks.”

Rhea sniffled and rubbed her snotty nose against his elbow. “Like heaven?”

He wondered for a moment how she knew about that, then reasoned one of her friends said something. Whatever worked, he supposed, fighting back years of agnosticism and religious training to confirm her idea. “Like heaven.”

It worked enough to make her stop crying. “Okay.” She frowned. “Sing me my song?”

“Uh huh. “ He kissed the top of her head and winced at the metallic tang. The words came out softly. “You’re the most beautiful girl in the big wide world. I love you endless-always,” he reminded her. That was part of a snippet of a song he and Brian had written; a lullaby for Brian’s daughter that he used on Zip and Rhea alike. She pouted as he reached for the baby shampoo, letting her go with one more kiss. “Now let me finish your hair.”

*** 

Ten minutes later, Rhea had a fresh change of clothes on, and scampered to play with her sister. Zip had been coloring with Arin, and Rhea – exhausted from her bout of temper – was finally ready for something quiet. “Is she okay?” Arin asked Dan.

Dan sighed as he got both arms around Arin. The scent of Arin, of his shampoo, his cologne. A peaceful joy filled him. God, he couldn’t help himself . Looking at his family – even with their complications and difficulties – made him want even more.

“I want another one,” he blurted out.

Arin raised an eyebrow. “What the fuck, dude?”

“I’m serious! They’re getting so big and…” And, he realized, he had developed into a damn good father. “And I want a bigger family. And I love you. I just…”

“You really wanna go through that again? Last time I got cut open, you freaked the fuck out.”

“I know,” Dan admitted. “But I won’t run away. I’ll be there.” 

Arin sighed. “We’ll talk about it,” he decided. 

Dan smiled and leaned into Arin. Everything was perfect for four seconds. 

Until Rhea wiped her marker stained hand on Mochi’s back.


End file.
